


(Sittin') on the Dock of the Bay

by zealousvagrant



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: First Date, M/M, Smut, awkward!Bolin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-23
Updated: 2012-07-22
Packaged: 2017-11-10 12:53:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/466507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zealousvagrant/pseuds/zealousvagrant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Iroh and Bolin go to the nightmarket when Iroh confesses himself. Sort of. There's more kissing than talking happening, at any rate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Once is a Coincidence

The scents in the downtown market vye for Bolin’s attention, each one more pungent and inviting than the other. Fresh bread, fruit, candied meats and spicy pies fill the air. It’s been a few months since Amon’s disappearance, but Republic City has bounced back in a stunning way. Fearful of Equalist influence, the Triple-Threat Triad has kept its mafioso activities to a minimum, and the Avatar has maintained her visibility at an all-time high.

Asami had taken it upon herself to rebuild Sato Industries, throwing herself headfirst into clearing her family name. Lin was back on the force, taking time off to give Bolin metalbending lessons. Bumi and Iroh had taken to many late-night meetings with Tenzin and other councilmembers to discuss strategy after strategy.

The war was far from over, but on a day like this, Bolin could almost forget that. The breeze coming in from the sea was slightly cool, cutting the heavy air between the stalls and kiosks. The salt gave the clamoring vendors’ voices an interesting quality, and Pabu’s tail twitching at his neck soothed him. 

He cast a nervous glance in Iroh’s direction. His calm demeanor made Bo nervous, and prompted him to fill the silence that settled between them. Right now, Iroh seemed pleased with his surroundings, and he flashed a warm smile at his companion. 

“So -heh- this is the night market! Best place in the city, if you ask me. Food’s first-rate,” Bolin told him. “The, uh, tea’s pretty good, too.” He smiled back at Iroh.

The general had to bite back an appreciative chuckle. Surrounded by military men all day, he wasn’t used to feeling so comfortable in another person’s presence, let alone someone like Bolin. He let his eyes linger on the cheerful earthbender, his powerfully-built body a welcome contrast to his gentle personality, and his expressive face a source of constant entertainment. He ducked into a nearby stall and resurfaced with two cups of sweet, iced tea- milky black for Bolin and lychee for the general.

“Enjoy your cold leaf juice,” he grinned. Iroh couldn’t help but grin back, and he felt the heat of the other man’s closeness have an effect on him.

“Are you all right, General? You’re looking a little flushed..”

He shook his head vigorously. “No, I’m fine. Call me Iroh.”

“Please,” he added. “Are you hungry?”

“Pssh. Only always.”

=======

Later, they found themselves on a lookout point over the bay, munching contentedly on hot dumplings and steamed buns, drinking their tea in relative quiet. 

“Thank you.”

The earthbender’s green eyes flashed in something akin to confusion.

“You’re welcome?”

Iroh chuckled again, relishing the sensation of laughter forming deep in his belly. 

“I’m having a good time, is all. Just wanted to thank you for it.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Republic City did all the work. I just came along for the ride.”

“I’m glad you did, Bolin.”

They stayed like that for a long moment, holding each other’s gaze as they ate and drank. Bolin was a little confused. It sounded as though the general was flirting with him. That couldn’t be right- most of the dudes that acted that way toward him were invariably creepy old men. He studied him closely, analyzing the way he tore the strips of bread from the bun. Bo couldn’t help but get distracted by his form in his plainclothes, a simple gray shirt over black pants, his red belt denoting his abilities as a firebender. 

Bolin’s gaze wandered southward, appreciating his lean arms and firm shoulders. Iroh’s crossed legs showed off strong, flexed muscles, and his hands, though scarred by fire, were skilled at maneuvering street cuisine. He lingered on the shape of his jaw as he chewed, his lips pursed, and his eyes staring -

-directly at me. Oh, no. This is not good.

Bolin panicked for a split second, suddenly alarmed at how the general - call him Iroh, he said call him Iroh!- would react to this open appraisal of his physique.

“Is something wrong?” Iroh asked tentatively. If the other man’s face was any indication, something was definitely not wrong at all. Another smile came to his lips.

“I realize this is very forward, Bolin, but may I kiss you?”

The earthbender felt as though he had been blasted in the chest with a paticularly large boulder. He could barely speak, let alone move, and yet he managed to nod his head. Iroh stood up, pulling Bolin to his feet clumsily.

“I’ve- I’ve never- Not with- um.”

Another warm smile from the general. 

“Me either. I guess we will just have to teach each other.”

Once Bo was on his feet, the general pulled him closer, wrapping an arm around his waist and bringing up a hand to caress his neck. Iroh gently scratched his scalp, running his fingertips along the curve of his ear. Despite the evening heat and Iroh’s proximity, he shuddered.

“You’re sure you’ve never done this before?” he asked.

“Not with a man.”

Iroh presses his thin, chapped lips to Bolin’s- softly at first, then leaning in deeper and deeper until their bodies are flush against each other. The earthbender’s eyes flutter shut, relishing the passion of his kiss and the secure weight of the general’s body in his arms. He feels his tongue move of its own accord, licking at Iroh’s mouth with tender, steady passion. 

As his tongue responds, Bo can feel the moan break in the back of his throat. Iroh’s eyes snap open, pulling away from the younger man with a brief, blushing smile. 

“That was nice,” he breathes in Bo’s ear, pressing another kiss to his neck.

“Y-yeah.”

“Do you want to try again?” His voice is silk, all delicious promise and danger and perfect, open lust. All Bolin can do is nod.


	2. Twice is Accidental

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Broh making out against a cliff. Then on a boat.

Bolin has always thought of smiles as warm, inviting things. They’re a way of contorting your face to tell the world that you’re feeling pretty damn good. He wasn’t a fan of smiles that lie, smiles with devilish intentions behind them, smiles that speak of secret plans and unsuspecting victims. He could never bring himself to really trust a face after it donned a smile like that. 

Iroh was wearing one of those when Bo could muster the strength to look him in the face. He was still pressed against the general, his entire body covered in goosebumps, chills radiating from the spot on his neck Iroh had kissed. 

He was still confused. Ten minutes ago, he was still trying to get over hanging out with the enigmatic firebender- not as a colleague or an impromptu member of his fleet, but as a friend, and now he had to process the whole matter of being in his arms and that amazing thing he was doing with his mouth.

Bo closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the sensation of Iroh’s mouth on him. He moved his lips languidly, taking his time, letting his breath roll over his skin. He deepened the kiss, letting his lips part and dragging his teeth across the sensitive slope of Bo’s neck. Iroh nipped, inciting a new wave of shudders from the younger man.

A strangled sound burst from his throat. Iroh pulled away, the cat toying with the canary. 

“You’re- you’re sure you’ve never done this before?” Bo stammered, hoping to buy some time to collect his thoughts. Iroh laughed, rolling from his chest with a deep, round sound. When was the last time he laughed like that?

Far too long, he thought as he relished how easy it was to make Bolin nervous.

“With a man,” he corrected. He resumed his position at Bo’s neck, and inhaled deeply. He felt the other man’s knees weaken and tremble. 

“The fact of the matter is, Bolin,” he murmured against his skin, “that the main erogenous zones” -kiss- “of the human body” -lick- “aren’t dictated by sex” -breathe- “but by neurophysiology.” He punctuated his sentence with a sharp, short bite- and Bolin gasped. 

“E-e-english, please?”

Another chuckle from Iroh. He let himself pull away from Bolin, far enough to meet his bright green eyes. 

“Simply put?” 

Bo nodded once, never once taking his eyes off Iroh’s terrible, fantastic mouth.

“Most people enjoy sensual stimulation on pulse points like necks and ears…”

He slips a hand into Bolin’s, letting his fingertips slide over the calluses on his palms and

“…wrists…”

“Aah!”

“and thighs.”

Those damn smiles are nothing but trouble.

============

The sun sinks into the bay, and as the temperature drops, Bolin can’t help but notice how gloriously warm his entire body has become. His pants are uncomfortably tight, but he doesn’t give a damn, because he doesn’t want to think about what might happen if they come off and he really likes that look on Iroh’s face.

He’s leaning against the warm face of the cliff face that overlooks the bay, his eyes locked on Bolin’s, one hand holding him close by the belt and the other-

oh, yes.

The general is going agonizingly slow, letting his fingers trace the width and strength of him through his pants. Bolin has been rooted to the spot since he dragged him there, half-running, half-stumbling, and a bit more obscured from the view of any amorous-minded teenagers hoping to score at the lookout point. 

He has tried half a dozen times to form a sentence, to speed up his movements, to beg for another kiss, to hold him close, or at least let him catch his breath for a minute or three- all in vain. He can see the way his companion’s pants have stretched conspicuously, the way his eyes flash with mischief and greed, and -my personal favorite, he thinks- the way he’s letting his hardness rub lightly against Bolin’s.

In between heated kisses, Iroh has led the heavily aroused and nearly incoherent earthbender to Republic City’s bay. He mounts his beautiful ship with purpose, unabashedly taking Bolin by the hand, and depositing him in the general’s quarters.

“So…”

Bo looks around nervously. “Here we are, in your room. Alone.” A chuckle.

“You and me. Two people. Us. Alone. In here.” He clears his throat.

“Your room. Alone.”

“One more word and you’re getting tied to the headboard.”

“Wh- oh, fuck.”

================

His bonds are loose, and for some odd reason this disappoints Bolin. He’s not allowed to dwell on it for too long, because Iroh straddles him confidently, meeting his nervous mouth with a deep, intense kiss. Distracted by his mouth and the gentle rock of his hips, Bolin doesn’t notice as Iroh slowly opens his tunic, stroking the exposed skin with practiced tenderness. 

When he ends the kiss, Iroh moves lower, smoothing over the landscape of Bolin’s powerful torso- firm and smelling of earth. He trails kisses down to his diaphragm, pausing to bite only when his breathing gets too deep. 

“I think you’ve been punished enough,” he murmurs, and with a flick of the wrist the rope holding Bo to the headboard is singed away.

“Good aim there, gen- I mean, Iroh.”

He felt the warmth of Bolin’s voice fill him up instantly. There was something about the way he said his name: a little breathy, thick with arousal, and low in his throat. It made him painfully hard. 

They stayed like that for a minute or so, Bolin on his back, the underside of his cock pressed to Iroh’s through layers of clothing, and the general stroking his friend’s naked chest.

“What am I supposed to do now?” the earthbender asks.

“That depends.”

“On what?”

He leans down low, taking one of Bo’s large, expressive hands in his own, letting the other cup his hardness.

“On whether you give me what I want-“

Lightning fast, Bolin is heavy and throbbing in the general’s palm, groaning and shuddering.

“Or I take it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> posted on tumblr: http://atomic-comic.tumblr.com/post/25917557861/welp


	3. Three times is on purpose.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Broh smut on a boat.

“What am I supposed to do now?” the earthbender asks.

“That depends.”

“On what?”

He leans down low, taking one of Bo’s large, expressive hands in his own, letting the other cup his hardness.

“On whether you give me what I want-“

Lightning fast, Bolin is heavy and throbbing in the general’s palm, groaning and shuddering.

“Or I take it.”

=====

“Which do you prefer, Bolin?”

As his head sinks back into the pillows, Bolin inhales deeply. He can smell something under the laundry soap: eucalyptus and skin. Through his eyelashes, he can see Iroh’s flushed face, his eyebrows arched in a silent challenge. He can feel the general’s hand holding him, steady and firm. The delicious pressure of his fingers gets more and more intense with each stuttering breath as he leaks onto the space between his thumb and index finger.

“G-give. Give!” he blurts out- breathlessly landing himself into his single worst nightmare. 

Girls were easy for Bolin. A little flex, a bit of comedy, romance for the sappy ones and teasing for the bolder ones, slap, tickle, and a round of who’s-your-favorite-bending-brother-ladies. He wasn’t afraid of disappointing them; the fangirls came with their preconceived notions of the dreamy, green-eyed orphan with the heart of gold. He was there with his strong arms and winning smile and hard, skilled fingers.

It wasn’t because of his gender or status- Bo didn’t really care about that- it was more about the way he carried himself, the quiet authority he held over both his peers and people like Tenzin and Lin. It was the way he looked at him, not as Mako’s brother, or Korra’s friend- but as his own person.

It terrified him.

Especially now, with his heart beating hard in his groin, wearing the shadow of the firebender’s breath around his neck, one of his hands held against the headboard, and his skin heated and buzzing with anticipation. But Bo could handle himself, or at least he thought as much.

The general is surprised, but not enough to be distracted from the half-naked man in his bed. He keeps his eyes on Bolin, letting his lids sink in pleasure as he licks what Bo left on his hand. The earthbender’s hardness twitches, a warning of the quake to come. He can’t hold in the helpless moan that betrays his true feelings.

“What-?”

Another grin, and Iroh leans in for another kiss. Emboldened, Bolin thrusts up into the older man’s groin, whimpering as the head of his cock grazes the rough fabric of his companion’s pants. While the general is busy gloating over Bo’s responsiveness, he takes his chance. Suddenly, their positions are reversed, and Iroh can’t help but sigh as Bo latches onto his neck- tracing sloppy kisses across his collarbone.

Pinned under his powerful thighs, he can only watch as Bolin peels off the already unbuttoned brown tunic, his muscles dusted with a film of sweat. In his excitement, he all but tears off the general’s shirt, not hesitating to cover his chest and stomach with soft, tentative bites. He pauses below the general’s navel, his confidence evaporating quickly.

“Uh..”

“Yes. Now.”

Iroh will learn to recall this moment with lustful fondness: the sensation of Bo’s breath on the hollow of his hip, the drag and stroke of linen, the impatient rustle of skin and cloth as Bolin works the general’s pants open. Through closed eyes, he sees the shape of the earthbender’s mouth, pressing a soft, chaste kiss to the head of his cock.

“You- you taste-“

“Thank you.”

In the silence that follows, Iroh is swallowed up by the noise and labor of breathing. He sees himself disappear into Bolin’s mouth, struggling with the urge to run his hands through his hair. His head lolls. He had forgotten how wonderful this could feel, the urgency filling up his chest, heating him up from the inside out. His hand is gently lifted and placed on the back of Bolin’s neck.

“I work better under orders, sir.”

Iroh is almost ashamed at the way he thrusts into the other man’s mouth. His hips jerk and glide, quivering when Bo’s tongue moves in a battery of short strokes. He moans around his cock once the general’s fingers find his earlobes, and Iroh has to tear him away before it’s too late.

“That’s quite enough giving for now, Bolin.”

The look on his face would be funny if it wasn’t so heartbreaking.

“I need to collect myself lest I- well. You understand, I’m sure.”

His chest heaves, and propped up on his elbows he sees the earthbender press another kiss to his cock. This time, his eyes flutter closed. 

“But I really like this! Ususally it’s the other way around with the whole ‘not-forming-words’ thing.” he pleads, pumping the general with the same unyielding force of his element. “Let me do that, at least.”

Again, his mouth is on him- unforgiving heat and friction, more of that fantastic thrumming- proving that he can hold his own against the young general in more ways than one. Unfortunately, the hand at his neck is persistent, and he caves into the frantic scrabbling. 

As he stands up, the general pushes him upright, pressing his lips to his warm navel as he tugs down his pants. 

“Come here,” he orders, and Bolin suddenly wants to learn how to do that with his voice. It is threatening and arousing at once, triggering his instinct to fight and his instinct to touch. Naked, he nestles into the foreign bed, thankful for the dimness of the room that hides his bashfulness. As Iroh’s eyes sweep over his body, he can feel himself grow infuriatingly hard. His heart skips a beat when his eyes swing low, a smile tugging at the edges of his lips.

A life of high society and military training can breed a man with a specific appreciation for order. A grateful growl starts deep in his chest when he looks at it: the slight upward curve, the hot, flushed head, the taut softness beneath it, and the soft black curls framing the beautiful, throbbing thickness of it. This man was perfect. 

Climbing back onto the bed, Iroh resumes the delicate fondling that Bolin seemed to like too much. Down, then up, rubbing his thumb against the small opening there, distributing the wetness evenly around the hot silk of his head. Bo was expecting that, but was subsequently floored once he felt the general’s hardness touch his own. 

Iroh fetched one of his hands, licked Bolin’s palm and settled it on their flushed cocks, setting a rhythm that made the earthbender’s biceps quiver. The general thrust shallowly against the friction, stroking Bolin’s strong chest with his slim fingers. The tension in his guts had turned him into a subdued, primitive creature. Grabbing Bo’s cock with his hand, the general fucked the earthbender’s wet grasp, coming with a yell as guttural as it was indecorous. 

When he came to, Bolin was staring at him, mouth hanging open, fist lazily palming his dick, his chest decorated with come. He dipped a finger in the warmth of it and brought it to his lips. Iroh’s cock twitched painfully at the sight, mentally cataloguing the image of his dear Bo so brazen, painting his lips with his seed.

“Oh, you owe me for that one. You owe me big.”

The general laughs breathlessly, his belly unfolded with deep, abiding pleasure. 

“I do,” he confesses between chuckles, replacing Bolin’s hand with his own. 

“How do you suppose I should pay?”

A massive hand strokes the back of his neck, pulling the firebender down flat against its owner’s chest. He flicks his tongue against the general’s tragus and whispers,

“Your mouth got you into this mess, right?”

What the general lacked in experience he more than made up for in timing. His mouth was not as tender or tentative as Bolin’s- it was calculated and methodical, the perfect combination of speed and pressure and wetness. Bo met his eyes as the head of his cock passed through his lips. His eyebrows were arched again in mocking defiance: 

I dare you to look away.

He fought to regulate his breathing. Every time he got used to a particular pattern of stroking, Iroh would change his methods, moaning deep in his throat and making Bolin throw back his head in unadulterated bliss. 

“Y-your m-ahhh-ah wh- how-?”

Orgasms, Bolin thought, should be like smiles sometimes. The ones that come as a complete surprise are the absolute best. 

There was no warning. No deep, visceral escalation; no critical mass of tension. One second, Bo was slipping into Iroh’s hot mouth, and the next he was spilling himself down his throat. He groaned- loud, and lay limp and sweaty in Iroh’s bed. In the daze, he feels the hand around his cock tenderly stroke his belly, and press a cool washcloth to the mess on his chest.

The general slips beside him in bed, rolling him on his side to face him. Bolin’s eyes are still closed, a garbled smile plastered on his round face. He drapes an arm around his waist, pulling the general closer, laying his palm flat against his spine. 

“That-“

“Don’t say it.”

“That just happened.”

“Why did you say it?”

“Because-“

“Bo, ‘because it did’ isn’t a reason! You’re lucky you’re handsome.”

A blush crept up the earthbender’s neck. Drawing him close, their lips touch, trapping them in a well of honey and sex. Bolin absently wonders whether the flavor on Iroh’s tongue is his or the general’s. He sighs as Iroh nips at his lip.

Bolin watches with calm reverence as the general slips into a deep sleep.

“I love you, Bo.”

“I love you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> posted on tumblr: http://atomic-comic.tumblr.com/post/26062172952/unf

**Author's Note:**

> posted on tumblr: http://atomic-comic.tumblr.com/post/25839572125/oops


End file.
